Collapsible rack

ABSTRACT

A collapsible rack includes a middle frame, a first lateral frame, a second lateral frame and at least one shelf. The middle frame includes a first pair of ears formed thereon and a second pair of ears formed thereon. The first lateral frame includes a pair of screws driven through the first pair of ears, thus pivotally connecting the first lateral frame to the middle frame. The second lateral frame includes a pair of screws driven through the second pair of ears, thus pivotally connecting the second lateral frame to the middle frame. The shelf includes a first edge pivotally connected to the middle frame and a second edge for engagement with the first and second lateral frames when the collapsible rack is in an extended position.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible rack.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

A typical collapsible rack includes inserts and sleeves for receivingthe inserts. It is however troublesome and takes a lot of time to insertthe inserts into the sleeves during assembly of the collapsible rack. Itrequires tools to assemble the collapsible rack, and the assembly iscomplicated. Furthermore, the result of the collapse is inadequate sothat the collapsible rack takes a lot of space in a collapsed positionduring storage and transportation.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a collapsiblerack that can easily be assembled.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide acollapsible rack that occupies a little space in a collapsed position.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the collapsible rack includes amiddle frame, a first lateral frame pivotally connected to the middleframe, a second lateral frame pivotally connected to the middle frameand at least one shelf pivotally connected to the middle frame. Themiddle frame includes a first pair of ears formed thereon and a secondpair of ears formed thereon. The first lateral frame includes a pair ofscrews driven through the first pair of ears, thus pivotally connectingthe first lateral frame to the middle frame. The second lateral frameincludes a pair of screws driven through the second pair of ears, thuspivotally connecting the second lateral frame to the middle frame. Theshelf includes a first edge pivotally connected to the middle frame anda second edge for engagement with the first and second lateral frameswhen the collapsible rack is in an extended position.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of thepreferred embodiment referring to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible rack according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial, enlarged view of the collapsible rack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the collapsible rack in another positionthan shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial, enlarged view of the collapsible rack of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collapsible rack in another positionthan shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial, enlarged view of the collapsible rack of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the collapsible rack in another positionthan shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a collapsible rack includes a middle frame1, a first lateral frame 2 pivotally connected to the middle frame 1, asecond lateral frame 3 pivotally connected to the middle frame 1, alower shelf 4 pivotally connected to the middle frame 1, a middle shelf4 pivotally connected to the middle frame 1 and an upper shelf 11pivotally connected to the middle frame 1 according to the preferredembodiment of the present invention. The middle frame 1 includes twobeams 15 provided between two posts 18. Two ears 5A are formed on one ofthe posts 18 while two ears 5B are formed on the other post 18. Each ofthe ears 5A and 5B includes an aperture 6 defined therein.

The second lateral frame 3 includes two beams 24 connected to a post 26.A screw 7 is secured to each of the beams 24. Two rings 9 are secured tothe post 26 while a slot 13 is defined in the post 26. The screws 7 aredriven through the apertures 6 of the ears 5B and engaged with nuts 8,thus pivotally connecting the second lateral frame 3 to the middle frame1.

The first lateral frame 2 includes two beams 20 connected to a post 22.Like each of the beams 24, each of the beams 20 includes a screw 7secured thereto. Two rings 9 are secured to the post 22 while a slot 13is defined in the post 22. The screws 7 are driven through the apertures6 of the ears 5A and engaged with nuts 8, thus pivotally connecting thefirst lateral frame 2 to the middle frame 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the length H1 of the ears 5A is smaller than thelength H2 of the ears 5B. Thus, the first lateral frame 2 is locatedbetween the middle frame 1 and the second lateral frame 3 when thecollapsible rack is in a collapsed position. The beams 20 of the firstlateral frame 2 are longer than the beams 24 of the second lateral frame3. Thus, the distance between the middle frame 1 and the post 22 of thefirst lateral frame 2 is identical to the distance between the middleframe 1 and the post 26 of the second lateral frame 3 when thecollapsible rack is in an extended position.

Each of the lower and middle shelves 4 is a grid with a sleeve 16 formedalong an edge, an axle 17 extended through the sleeve 16 and two pins 10formed at an opposite edge. The upper shelf 11 is a grid with a sleeve16 formed along an edge, an axle 17 extended through the sleeve 16 andtwo hooks 12 formed at an opposite edge. Each of the axles 17 includestwo ends each inserted in a recess 14 defined in a related one of theposts 18 of the middle frame 1, thus pivotally connecting the shelves 4and 11 to the middle frame 1.

The upper shelf 11 can be pivoted between a collapsed position shown inFIG. 1 and an extended position shown in FIG. 7 through a transientposition shown in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 4, the hooks 12 can beinserted through the slots 13, thus retaining the upper shelf 11 in theextended position. In the extended position, the upper shelf 11 cansupport stuff.

The lower and middle shelves 4 can be pivoted between a collapsedposition shown in FIG. 1 and an extended position shown in FIG. 7through a transient position shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 6, thepins 10 can be inserted through the rings 9, thus retaining the lowerand middle shelves 4 in the extended position. In the extended position,the lower and middle shelves 4 can support stuff.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustrationof the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derivevariations from the preferred embodiment without departing from thescope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodimentshall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in theclaims.

1. A collapsible rack comprising: a middle frame comprising a first pairof ears formed thereon and a second pair of ears formed thereon; a firstlateral frame comprising a pair of screws driven through the first pairof ears, thus pivotally connecting the first lateral frame to the middleframe; a second lateral frame comprising a pair of screws driven throughthe second pair of ears, thus pivotally connecting the second lateralframe to the middle frame; and at least one shelf with a first edgepivotally connected to the middle frame and a second edge for engagementwith the first and second lateral frames when the collapsible rack is inan extended position.
 2. The collapsible rack according to claim 1comprising nuts each engaged with a related one of the screws.
 3. Thecollapsible rack according to claim 1, wherein the first pair of earsextends shorter than the second pair of ears so that the first lateralframe is located between the middle frame and the second lateral framewhen the collapsible rack is in a collapsed position.
 4. The collapsiblerack according to claim 1, wherein each of the lateral frames comprisesat least one ring secured thereto, and the shelf comprises two pins eachfor insertion through the ring of a related one of the lateral frames tokeep the shelf in an extended position.
 5. The collapsible rackaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the lateral frames comprises atleast one slot defined therein, and the shelf comprises two hooks eachfor insertion through the slot of a related one of the lateral frames tokeep the shelf in an extended position.
 6. The collapsible rackaccording to claim 1, wherein the shelf comprises a sleeve formed at thefirst edge and an axle inserted through the sleeve and into the middleframe.
 7. The collapsible rack according to claim 1, wherein the middleframe comprises two posts and at least one beam for connecting the poststo each other.